Maggie Ruggiero

When Gourmet closed in 2009, a stack of unpublished menus, recipes, and articles was left behind—including this collection of summer recipes so casual and easy you can make them while you're still in the water (almost).

A marriage between two of our favorite summer fruits, this savory-sweet dish is decorated with soft cheese and a hint of garlic. Served over a crispy baguette, it’s the perfect summer lunch, midday snack, or party appetizer.

Simmered and later sauced in a lemony olive oil spiced with fennel and coriander seeds, artichokes absorb a complex blend of gorgeous flavors. The tender, juicy hearts bronze in a hot skillet just before serving, adding depth to this delicate dish.

A heaping platter of spaghetti and meatballs evokes a feeling of comfort—perfect for a family get-together. The stars of this dish are the meatballs, of course, and they don't disappoint—lots of garlic and Parmigiano-Reggiano give them a robust flavor that stands up to the hearty tomato sauce.

Think of these as the best part of French onion soup minus the broth. Better yet, they're in a form that's much easier to eat than the soggy wet bread, weighed down with cheese, that usually tops crocks of onion soup. Don't be surprised if these disappear before you get a chance to sample one yourself!

"Simple, simple, simple! Just throw it in the oven and jump in the shower." That's how food stylist Toni Brogan described this savory pie, a favorite in her native New Zealand. And it really is that easy—just line a pan with puff pastry, fill it up with onions, thinly sliced potatoes, and, in place of the usual bacon, prosciutto (left over from Ravioli with Green Beans and Prosciutto ), then crack some eggs on top and cover with more pastry. By the time everyone is out of the shower, the pie is ready to come out of the oven, all golden and flaky on the outside, layered with deliciousness on the inside. Though it's traditional to serve the pie with ketchup, we love it with some spicy chutney on the side.

In our Egg Salad with Lemon and Fennel , fennel contributes juicy crunch and a nice hit of bright flavor. Here, the leftover fennel goes in a decidedly different direction: Candied in a sugar syrup, it has a softer snap and becomes more mellow. Along with pistachios, golden raisins, and fennel seeds, it makes a sophisticated filling for baked Gala apples. Many baked–apple recipes are too homey for company, but this version, with its spectrum of greens and golds, would be the highlight of any dinner party menu.

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero touts these amber bars as the love child of rice krispie treats and those sesame candies sold at natural foods stores. They're nutty, both crisp and chewy, and just a bit crumbly—the perfect afternoon snack. Honey and brown sugar lend a touch of sweetness, while egg whites, nuts, and seeds give the bars protein and chewiness.

Leftover dulce de leche is nothing if not versatile: You can spoon it over ice cream, drizzle it over fresh fruit, or serve it with cookies. But if you're still feeling industrious after making our Dulce de Leche Half Moons, use the rest in these truffles. We promise you won't be sorry. The combination of caramelized milk, bittersweet chocolate, and almond butter produces a deeply flavored, not–too–sweet confection. And there's no need to chill the mixture before rolling, as you would if making traditional truffles with chocolate and cream—this user–friendly "ganache" practically rolls itself. If you make the truffles with peanut butter, the nut flavor will be a bit more pronounced than in the almond–butter version.

The small, round, mild white turnips known colloquially as Japanese turnips are at their most delicious when simply cooked with their greens. A last-minute swirl in miso butter (which is fantastic on pretty much any vegetable) gives them an almost meaty underpinning.